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Rocky Mountain Ramblers Association

Trip Report
Trip Date:
27-May-2017
Activity:
Scramble
Trip name:
Mount McDougall via "Volcano Peak"
Coordinator:
John
Report:
I was very fortunate to be joined by a couple of competent and adventurous members: Sim and Damian, on this poke into more snowy terrain. At the 6:30 am car pool meeting Damian expressed wonder why he had n't joined the 8:00 am crowd! I think, hopefully, he enjoyed the day though - I did. We set off up the Evan Thomas trail a little after 7:30 am. After the prescribed burn there have been a few changes on the Evan Thomas trail - a large cat track has been cut which is probably preferable to the old trail to access Old Baldy. I think also, maybe, it might be worthwhile keeping going past the drainage to the firebreak they cut as part of this prescribed burn if heading for Spirko's "Little McDougall' as we were. Andrew Nugara calls a sub summit along the ridge "Volcano peak" Bob Spirko calls it "Little McDougall" - think I prefer Bob Spirko's appellation ... maybe it is the geologists I know ... but even I know this fractured limestone is not volcanic!! The firebreak is shown in this photo:



Note fire break from prescribed burn which may be a better route than in the books / web to McDougall?


We did n't take this fire break instead following a combination of info from earlier trips and reports following the trail that eventually leads to Old Baldy. This day we were not heading to Old Baldy, though, so crossed the creek and headed up with a bit of a bushwhack and then scree to the ridge east of the "Old Baldy". Nice views back to the Fortress, Galatea etc. on the ridge to McDougall.



Damian on east ridge approach to Mount McDougall


Damian busted an initial trail when we hit snow. I was grateful I brought my axe along when busting trail across some steep sided snow arêtes.



Sim on the final slope to summit of Mount mcDougall


At the summit a little after 12:30 pm with little wind and great views. This coordinator (senior moment?) had forgotten his lunch  ... fortunately Sim generously shared some of her food - thanks again Sim great Tuna sandwich! We decided to try descending the west ridge as it looked like we could bail to the valley if things got iffy at a few points and that proved to be the case. 



Sim and John summit Mount McDougall





Damian starting along the west ridge descent from Mount McDougall


The west ridge was a little spicier with one tricky down climb that we all did facing in (and carefully!!).



Crux of the trip was a down climb noted by the arrow .... snow was softening so we bailed to the valley after that


After that it was after 2:00 pm and the snow was getting softer so we bailed to the valley Lots of side hilling  but eventually we picked up a trail and we were back at the car before 5:00 pm .. a little under 9.5 hours ... I think Damian's stats were 1200m elevation gain and a little over 16kms.
Thanks again to participants: Sim,Damian. Special thanks to Sim for my lunch (I was going to deduct the car pool fee but she was OK with that!! Thanks all from John